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New Zealand Mail, Issue 34, 16 September 1871, Page 9

Letteks via Brindisi. —We are requested to state that the postage on letters for the United Kingdom via Brindisi will for the future be tenpence per half ounce instead of ninepence. Collingwood Goldeield. —The last fortnight's crushing at the Perseverance mine produced only 74|ozs from 261 tons, 193 of which was obtained from the No. 2 drive. During the working, the reef suddenly narrowed from 5 feet to 6 or 7 inches, but has since then widened again to about 3 feet.

The Caledonian Mine.—Tho total return of the Caledonian for the fortnight ending August 6th was 4052 ounces. Fourteen cwfc of very rich specimens yielded 1800 ounces of gold. Golden Oysters.—A fishmonger in the Grey Valley recently brought to the Ahaura some rock oysters —probably from Auckland—and adhering to the shells of some of them were portions of a kind of conglomerated ironstone and hard slate rock. On opening one of the bivalves, a piece of the rock happened to get broken, and gold was plainly seen in the fracture. The pieces of rock to the shells are evidently part of the casing of a quartz reef, and if gold is as thickly scattered through the stone as it is visible in the casing, it must be a valuable one. The Volunteers of the Colony.— In his annual report, the Inspector of Militia and Volunteers states that, in June, 1870, the strength of the volunteers in the colony was 5,407, of which number 3,811 qualified themselves for capitation allowance. This number gradually increased till, on 31st March, 1871, there were 6,568, of which number 4,880 received capitation money, being an increase of 1069 efficients in the year. This excess, he says, may be attributed to the increased capitation allowance, which was raised from 25s for all corps to the original grant of £3 to cavalry and artillery, and 50s to rifle volunteers, as well as to the encouragement given to the whole movement by the liberal grant of the Legislature towards the colonial prize firing. In the North Island, the Militia Act being in operation has also had the effect of increasing the numbers, and especially in some of the country districts. The returns show the percentage of enrolled and efficient volunteers in 1869,1870, and 1871, by which it will be seen that the proportion of efficients has increased from 51 per cent, in 1869 to 74 per cent, in 1871. MARAVILLA COCOA.—No breakfast table is complete -without this delicious beverage.—The " G-lobe" says :—" Various importers and manufacturers have attempted to attain a reputation for their prepared Cocoas, but we doubt whether any thorough success has been achieved until Messrs Taylor Brothers discovered the extraordinary qualities of' Maravilla' Cocoa. Adapting their perfect system of preparation to this finest of all species of the Theobroma, they have produced an article which superseded every other Cocoa in the market. Entire solubility, a delicate aroma, and a rare concentration of the purest elements of nutrition, distinguish the Maravilla Cocoa above all others. For homoeopaths and invalids we could not recommend a more agreeable or valuable beverage." Sold in packets only by all Grocers, of whom also may be had Taylor Brothers' Original Homceopithic Cocoa and Soluble Chocolate. Steam Mills—Brick Lane, London. Export Chicory Mills, Bruges, Belgium, Advt.